publication date: Jul 23, 2012
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author/source: Anne Coates
As mentioned in the first review of
Hotel Wiesenhof, the
Entner family's motto is "
arrive as a guest and leave as a friend" so when I was invited to
return with my family, Olivia and Harriet, it did indeed feel as though we were arriving as
friends. Everyone, it seemed, had
heard about Harriet and was
delighted to meet her!
It is one thing to
review a
family hotel on one's own – even for a seasoned
travel journalist and parent – but quite another to have your
family with you to put everything
to the test. In fact everything
exceeded expectations.Having a
two year old exploring the
family room immediately made us aware of one
attention to detail that was invaluable. Harriet
locked herself in the loo, but within seconds we realised
the door could be
unlocked from the outside. A neat touch. The
family room we occupied had a
terrace rather than a
balcony so no worries about falls and it was large enough to
play games together there.
Our first two days were
sunny so we made use of the "
tunnel" to the
outdoor pool at the next hotel which was really
child friendly and situated near outdoor
play area. We also used the
indoor pool which, although the hotel was nearly full, never seemed to be
over-occupied. Olivia made use of the
gym every day and I had some relaxing times in the
saunas and meditation room.
Harriet adored the
children's playroom with the Wendy house – so much so that we had a hard time getting her to leave!
Sometimes
meals with small children can be trying but the staff in the
restaurant at Hotel Wiesenhof do their best to help you
relax and enjoy the experience. Harriet was spoilt for choice with the
huge range of starters and she usually shared whatever we were having as a
main course. But deserts were hers - especially
ice cream with smarties!
There's
plenty to do within the hotel and grounds which house the
alpacas and lots to
explore outside including:
- Cable car to a restaurant with panoramic views
- Two hour sail on Lake Achensee
- Steam train ride
- A visit to the Wiesenhof farm
It was interesting to note that many of the hotel's guests return time and time again. Probably because everyone is made to feel so welcome.
PWT rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
For more information on special family deals and rates visit the Hotel Wiesenhof website.